Revelation #7 – Study Questions

Kyle Bartholic   -   March 23, 2023

Revelation CGS – Week 7

A message to Sardis – Holy Discomfort

Revelation 3:1-6

 

INTRODUCTION:  As we have been going through this second section in Revelation, we are reminded of the reality that the seven churches were real churches that faced real pressures. Their stories, commendations, warnings, and being called out remind us that we are not all that different from them. In fact, in each church, we can see a part of ourselves, our struggles, and how we are growing to be like Jesus. So, Sardis, what kind of place was it? Situated at the junction of five roads, and commanding the Hermus valley, Sardis was an active commercial city and very wealthy. It had been the capital of Croesus who was proverbial for his riches. The city’s easy wealth seems to have made for slackness. It was captured by Cyrus the Persian (549 bc) and by Antiochus (218 bc), both times because of its slackness. The city was built on a hill so steep that its defenses seemed impregnable. On both occasions enemy troops scaled the precipice by night and found that the overconfident Sardians had set no guard. A great earthquake in ad 17 made a profound impression. But the city was soon rebuilt, partly owing to generous aid from the emperor Tiberius. The most important religion at Sardis was the worship of Cybele. John does not mention anything like the persecutions at Smyrna and Pergamum or the heresies of the Nicolaitans. It may be that this church had not suffered disturbance from without and that its troubles stemmed from its comparatively sheltered existence. The temptation for the sheltered is always to take things easy, and they readily become slack.[1]

 

This whole passage has the tone of someone grabbing you by the shoulder and shaking you to wake you up before it is too late. Nothing terribly bad has happened yet, but it is heading in that direction. We could read this passage like a set of rumble strips on the road. Designed to catch your attention and prevent an accident. For this church, comfort had become key, complacency had set in, and they struggled to remain faithful. Jesus cuts through the clutter of their moment and reminds them of who he is, and a key truth, playing pretend is not an effective spiritual discipline.

 

 

 

GETTING STARTED – On Sunday, we talked about the difference between complacency and contentment. How would you define those, and how can you tell the difference between the two in your everyday life? Talk about this as a group.

 

 

IN THE WORD –   Let’s dig back into the passage. It is important to strengthen our muscles in reading God’s Word. On Sunday, we walked through the passage in the sermon. Hopefully, that helped you to see the landmarks of the passage with fresh eyes. Now, with your group, go back through it and see what God is saying to you specifically.

First, before you read the passage, take a moment to ask God’s Spirit to quiet your mind and heart and to illuminate the text to you. Second, read the passage aloud to the group. Then, follow the simple method below. (O.P.A)

 

Observe: Make 8-10 observations from the passage. Pay close attention to observe and note repeated words and phrases, names, places, and themes.

 

Principles: From your list of observations, what patterns or big ideas do you see emerging? Can you distill it down into 2-4 big idea truths?

 

 

 

Apply: Moving from your list of principles, it is time to apply God’s Word. Remember, we believe that God’s Word is living and active and that it can change the way we live Monday- Friday. What is one tangible way to apply a truth from your list above?

 

 

Note: Revelation can be a tough book. Here are some questions that might help with discussion.

  1. What stands out to you about this church’s situation and the image of Jesus that is presented to them? How does that apply or speak to your spiritual life?
  2. In what ways have you experienced holy discomfort in your life? What has been the fruit of that experience?
  3. If the chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy him for all your days, how are you walking in that reality now? How might you increase in that reality in the days to come?
  4. We heard that we are “glory chasers.” What has been your experience in chasing glory? What glory did you pursue that let you down? What glory have you pursued that has fulfilled you?
  5. How can I integrate the actions of remembering and repenting into my walk with Jesus this week? Which one do I need to grow in?

 

 

 

 

 

 

[1] Leon Morris, Revelation: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 20, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1987), 78.